A former City Hall adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams and, until Thursday, Aug. 21, a volunteer for his reelection campaign, reportedly gave a local reporter a wad of cash stuffed inside a bag of potato chips.
The non-profit news outlet The City reported the encounter late Wednesday, Aug. 20, a few hours after Winnie Greco allegedly handed an open bag of Herr’s sour cream and onion rippled potato chips to journalist Katie Honan following a Harlem campaign event. Initially, Honan thought it was simply a “light snack,” but after they parted ways, she looked inside the bag and discovered a red envelope containing “at least one $100 bill and several $20 bills.”
Honan texted Greco soon after the discovery to let her know she couldn’t accept the money and asked when she could return it. However, she did not receive a response.
The City reported the incident to the NYC Department of Investigation, and federal prosecutors from the office of Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella contacted The City’s lawyers, as reported by the outlet. An investigator later retrieved the chip bag that contained the red envelope and cash.
Adams and his broader campaign had no immediate ties to the incident.
Please, please, don’t try to give cash to news reporters. https://t.co/3hneSo9lbv
— Alyssa Katz (@alykatzz) August 21, 2025
A spokesperson for the Brooklyn U.S. attorney’s office, John Marzulli, declined to comment when contacted by USA TODAY. Greco’s attorney denied the incident was a payoff, according to a statement.
In a statement to The City and the New York Times, a spokesperson for Adams’ campaign said Greco has been suspended from all volunteer campaign-related activities and holds no position in the campaign.
“Mayor Adams had no prior knowledge of this matter,” spokesperson Todd Shapiro said. “He has always demanded the highest ethical and legal standards, and his sole focus remains on serving the people of New York City with integrity.”
With less than three months remaining until the general election, Adams is facing significant headwinds in his bid for a second term due to a scandal-filled tenure and consistently low polling numbers. The City and reporter Honan, who previously covered New York City for the Wall Street Journal, have reported extensively on the Adams administration, including on his federal indictment in 2024 and ongoing investigations and indictments of multiple former Adams staffers and associates. Honan’s reporting has also focused on Greco’s relationship with Adams.
